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Exports (which accounted for 40% of total deliveries and value in the first half of the year) also declined to 140 aircraft, although their combined value did increase by 12% to $US337m ($A488m).

Us Top Arms Supplier:

The United States remained the world’s largest supplier of arms for the third world market in 1992 for the third year running.

Sales worth $US13. 6bn ($A20bn) were made to the third world, or 57% of that market, with major sales being made to Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Second largest supplier was France, with sales of $3. 8bn ($A5. 5bn) third the UK with $US2bn ($A3bn) and fourth was Russia, whose armaments manufacturers earned just $US1. 3bn ($A2bn).

Total sales for the year were down only slightly from 1991, although Russia’s sales have been in marked decline since 1989, when it was traditionally the largest supplier of arms to the third world.

Other major suppliers included Germany $US700m ($A1bn), Italy $US400m ($A580m) and China $US100m ($A144m), a 75% drop following Iran’s switch to Russia as its preferred military hardware supplier.

China Studies Australian Pilot Training:

A delegation from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has recently completed a three country study (including Australia) visit of pilot training facilities with a view to meeting the country’s burgeoning flight training demands.

Traditionally, training has been undertaken by the CAAC at its own training academies, although demand has skyrocketed in the last few years, straining China’s existing resources to the limit (refer separate article in Airline Affairs). Almost 800 new airliners are predicted to be delivered to China through to 2006, creating an esti- mated need for 600 new pilots each year, far in excess of China’s current training capabilities. The delegation looked at facilities for the ab initio training of 200 pilot cadets in Australia, the UK and the United States. The CAAC has also shown great interest in time saving training techniques such as line oriented flight training-currently CAAC’s airline pilot training takes four years to achieve equivalent ATPL status. The official CAAC visit follows plans by China Southern to independently establish or purchase its own overseas pilot training college. While asight in Australia is a likely choice, China Southern’s move is unlikely to be given approval by the CAAC, which wishes to retain all pilot training under its control.

The burning urgency for qualified pilots is illustrated by the high number of fatal crashes in recent years. The most recent crash was of a China Northern BAe 146 on takeoff, when 55 passengers and crew were killed.

In terms of safety 1992 was the worst year on record in China with four major accidents. The accidents serve as a cruel reminder of the great strain currently being placed on China’s aviation assets.

Citations Destroyed in Hangarfire:

Twenty eight aircraft, including 13 T-47 Citations were destroyed in a hangar fire at Topeka, Kansas in July.

The 13 Citations were in storage following the completion of a US Navy training contract, while many of the other ruined aircraft had, hadironically been moved to Topeka to avoid rising floodwaters elsewhere in Kansas.

The wooden WW2 vintage hangar, which was owned by an FBO, caught alight whilst it was undergoing repairs.

Eva to Commence Australian Services:

Expanding Taiwanese carrier, EVA Airplans to begin scheduled flights to Brisbane and Sydney from September 25. Twice weekly 767-300ER services will connect Taipei with Brisbane and Sydney. The two Australian cities join Asian, US and European centres on EVA’s expanding route network, the new flights providing a worthwhile boost to tourism and business travel to the prosperous Asian nation. EVA has already operated a small number of charter flights to Australia.

The rapidly growing Australia/Taiwan route is presently served by Australia Asia (Qantas), Mandarin and Air New Zealand. An article on the origins of Eva appeared in our October 1991 edition.

 Qantas Uniform Designer Announced:

Designs from South Australian based clothing designers George Cross and Harry Who have been selected for Qantas’ new staff uniforms.

To be manufactured locally using Australian wool, the new uniforms will be worn by 9500 Qantas employees including cabin crew and front line ground staff from August next year and replace uniforms designed by overseas fashion houses. In all, Qantas will spend $10m on the new uni- forms, which have been selected following the merger with Australian Airlines to “create a uniform that will reflect the best aspects of both organisations. ” The new uniforms will be publicly unveiled in December.

Continental and Air France Join Forces:

Air France and Continental Airlines have formed a new strategic alliance.

The new global cooperation agreement will see the two airlines coordinate trans Atlantic schedules and offer through pas senger check in to final destinations on both carriers’ networks, while the carriers will become frequent flyer programme partners. Other changes include the consolidation of terminal facilities in the airlines’ three major hub cities (Paris, Houston and Newark), plus joint advertising, promotions and holiday packages.

UK Mothballs Key Fighters:

In addition to the much publicised reductions in the Tornado F. 3 interceptor force, further cuts in UK defence spending are now resulting in large numbers of state of the art Tornado GR. 1 strike bombers and Harrier GR. 5/7 attack fighters being mothballed.

Although a total of 229 Tornado GR. 1s were ordered for the Royal Air Force, by the mid 1990s it is likely that (according to Ministry of Defence figures) only 146 will remain in active front line service, with the remainder placed into storage or offered for sale.

A Tornado GR. 1 force level of as low as 112 has also been recently published in a defence White Paper, although this figure does not take into account the numbers of aircraft per squadron needed to maintain declared NATO levels, plus the 17 aircraft assigned to the Tri National Tornado Training Establishment.

Concurrently the GR. 5/7 Harrier force is also being reduced, from 96 originally ordered, falling to 52 aircraft in 1995. This move seems to confirm an unofficially mooted view that the RAF will be operating just two combat types by 2010, the GR. 1 (or updatedGR. 4) Tornado, and the Eurofighter 2000.

What, No Sales!

For only the second time in eight years we have had to ditch our regular Sales column due to lack of activity. So if you are looking for it then this is the reason why-no sales, no column. Hopefully next issue we will be able to report some better news.

Iasc Confirms Osaka Allocations:

The International Air Services Commission has largely confirmed its draft allocation of flights and capacity to Osaka’s new Kansai airport.

The IASC determination issued on August 9 provides Ansett with 2200 seats per week, and Qantas 1200. This allows Ansett to operate four 747 flights from Sydney and three 767-200 services from Brisbane to Kansai per week, while Qantas can operate up to six 767-200 frequencies per week. This takes Qantas’ weekly Japan/Australia services from 31 to 38.

In bringing down its determination on Kansai, which is due to open late next year, the IASC also announced it had increased Qantas’s capacity to other Japanese ports by 840 seats per week, allowing the substitution of larger 747 aircraft over 767-300s (or 767-300s in place of 767-200s) on existing services.

Despite criticisms of the draft, the IASC has largely persevered with its original proposals. The main criticisms of the IASC’s proposal was that in trying to satisfy both camps, neither Ansett nor Qantas was allocated a viable proportion. The IASC’s charter specifies that in allocating flights and frequencies it favours viable new entrants, although in this case it had to balance that against also providing Qantas with a worth- while allocation of services.

Ansett Calls for Introduction of Stars:

Speaking at the 19th Ansett Transport & Travel Writers Seminar on Hayman Island, Ansett MD Graeme McMahon called upon the Federal Government to show leadership and reintroduce the STARS air traffic control system to Sydney airport.

STARS was due to be trialled last November and was launched with great fanfare by the relevant Minister at the time, Senator Peter Cook in the absence of Bob Collins who was overseas at the time. The STARS system was conceived by CAA ATC specialist as a means of reducing congestion at KSA whilst also simultaneously reducing noise to a number of local communities.

Unfortunately, that three ring circus of local ALP MPs – Laurie Brereton, Leot McLeay and Gary Punch took it upon themselves to railroad the Minister into withdrawing the system with an election imminent. Since then Minister Collins has not seen fit to listen to the many cries within industry to reinstate the trials to alleviate congestion at what is without argument a key hub within the region.

Ansett claims that on July 7 that its total fleet lost some 40 hours of operational flying time due to delays specifically at Sydney whilst just two days later the airline en- dured delays just nine minutes short of the 40 hour record of the seventh. It is anticipated that Qantas’ domestic operations (nee Australian) would have suffered similar delays in addition to the large number of third level operators at KSA and the dozens of international frequencies that transit the airport each peak period.

STARS involved theuseof runways07/25 for landings whilst using the primary 16/34 for takeoffs. Aircraft would also feed into the Sydney region via special air corridors designed to speed up overall traffic flow.

At presstime there was no indication from Minister Collins that STARS would indeed be reevaluated at some point in the future. • DANGEROUS LIAISONS!: With Qantas and BAnow well and truly enjoying their honeymoon as corporate newlyweds and BA in a bitter and very public legal battle with Virgin Atlantic, it is indeed interesting to see QF and Virgin being linked as ‘team airlines’ by Sydney’s Just Flights.

Just Flights is offering a number of interesting airline combinations to provide alow cost alternative for travel to Europe and high on its list is a Qantas/Virgin teaming that has you departing Oz with Qantas via Honolulu into LA where you then transfer to Virgin for the leg to London. Wonder what British Airways has to say about that!

UK Mps to Debate Herc Replacement:

Given the government views of where the UK aircraft industry needs to be guided, the decision on how the RAF replaces its Hercules transports may end up being debated in Parliament.

A Parliamentary select committee may force the decision to a debate despite the fact that the RAF has ruled out the proposed Future Large Aircraft (FLA) as its transport replacement. The C-130J Hercules II has for a long time been the front runner in the replacement programme while the FLA, still a paper aeroplane, would not be ready in time to replace the first batch of aircraft. While the government is not involved in the FLA at an official level, British Aerospace is one of five European manufacturers (CASA, Deutsche Airbus, Alenia and Aerospatiale) studying the high wing four turbofan engined C-130 and C-160 Transall replacement.

Debating the purchase would primarily be aimed at supporting the FLA and through it BAe.

 Boeing Predicts Air Cargo Growth:

Boeing has estimated an average annual air cargo growth rate of almost 7% to the year 2010.

Boeing’s 1993 World Air Cargo Forecast has not surprisingly tipped the Asia Pacific region to be the premier air freight growth region accounting for half of all air freight movements by 2010. The study has forecast that air freight growth will rise from about 80 billion revenue tonne kilometres in 1992 to 250 billion in 2010, an annual growth rate of 6. 8%. The rate, while 1% lower than that for the 1972 to 1992 period, represents a turnaround over 1991 when air cargo shipmentsfell by 2%. Despite the growth though, yield fell by 7% in 1992, a trend expected to continue this year.

The all cargo aircraft fleet meanwhile will witness a move to larger aircraft of over 50 tonnes capacity (le widebodies), with larger freighters accounting for 70% of the fleet by 2010. New build aircraft are expected to account for aquarter of additional capacity, the rest will be conversions of existing airliners.

 Start Your Own Militia:

Whilst browsing through a recent issue of Unique Cars magazine, your editor came across some very unique vehicles! Maybe it’s the supposed era of peace (though you wouldn’t think it watching the news at night) but there seems to be no lacking of state of the art equipment being openly touted on the world scene for anybody with even a humble credit account.

Advertised in Unique Cars was, for instance, a near new British Army Chieftain main battle tank with just 80 klics underthe treads and a steal at $45,000. A second unit is advertised at $29,000! If perchance that’s a trifle too awesome to park in the driveway then what about something smaller, like an ex Desert Storm Scorpion recce vehicle, complete with heavy bore gun for just $33,000. Still too big? Well what about a Ferret Scout – Rolls-Royce engine, 4WD, revolving turret with operating 50cal and fully restored for just $8,900. Just the thing for carving through the morn- ing traffic.

Shame this magazine doesn’t advertise aircraft. Some nice, well maintained F-4G Wild Weasels, Hercs, A-10 Warthogs and Cobra gunships would nicely complement the above.